Aeroplane wing



Nov. 6, 1934. s. TREY ET AL AEROPLANE WING Original Filed Aug. 21. 19512 Sheets-Sheet 2 INWNTGES: Serge Heyand Mlliam 190mm;

MIR A ITORNE Y UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE AEROPLANE WING Serge Trey andWilliam Howard, College Point,

Application August 21, 1931, Serial No. 558,534 Renewed February 2, 193420 Claims. (Cl. 244-12) Our invention relates to aerofoils and, morevalve 14 is closed, the valve 15 is open, and viceparticularly, to thewing of an aeroplane proversa. For intermediate positions, both valvesvided with a generator for directing a stream of are partially open. airto the leading edge of the wing. During flight, the valve 15 is open,admitting The invention is designed (1) to effect more air to the blower5 which throws an air stream co favorable aerodynamic conditions in theneighinto the hollow space I through the duct 8. From borhood of theaerotoil, (2) to increase the lift the space 7, the air is expelledthrough the ports ing capacity of the wing, and (3) to decrease thealong the leading edge of the wing 6. The drag. or even to cause anegative drag to take ports 10 may extend the entire span of the wing,

10 place, thus creating a force of propulsion; all or only a portionthereof. The velocity of the 65 of which efiects tend to increase thegeneral efflair jet through the ports 10 is regulated by shiftciency ofthe aerofoil. ing the gears in the gear box 4'. While a cen- Theinvention is further designed to reduce trifugal blower is shown in thedrawings, it is to the landing speed of an aeroplane by simultanebeunderstood that it serves merely as an illusl5 ously increasing the liftand the drag. tration and that any generator for producing a 70 Otherpurposes of the invention will become stream of air in the describedmanner may be apparent from the description which follows. used inconnection with the present invention.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a top view of an Likewise, controlling thespeed of the air jet aeroplane embodying our invention, partly shown maybe effected in other ways than the one illusin section. Figure 2 is across section of the trated here to show a concrete example only, 5

same aeroplane taken along the line 2-2 of Figor a separate engine maybe provided for energizure 1, a portion of the fuselage being broken offing the blower at a variable speed, independentto more clearly disclosethe arrangements of the ly of the propeller speed. device. Without goinginto the theory of the device in Referring to the figures in detail, 1is the fuse-- detail, it may be said that the effect of the upward 80lage of the aeroplane; 2 is the propeller operated .jet of air along theleading edge of the aerofoil, by the engine 3. To the engine frame isatas shown, is twofold: (1) it serves to correct the tached a gear box4', from which extends the unfavorable aerodynamic conditionsobtainingin shaft 4 upon which is mounted a centrifugal wings devoid ofthe present invention by relieving blower 5, it being understood thatthe shafts of the pressure on the forward end of the wing, and thepropeller 2 and of the centrifugal blower 5 (2) it acts to diminish theinclination from the are co ected b Suitable ars arranged withinvertical of the resultant force to which the susthe gear box 4'. Thesegears may be shifted taining power of the aeroplane is due, thereby inym n f the handle 4 through a suitable creasing the lift component and.at the same time,

3 linkage The Wing 6 0f he aeroplane has creating a negative dragcomponent which, in 90 a ho 9 the forward connected absolute amount, maybe less than, equal to, or to the blo 5 y means 8- dllct FrOm sgreaterthan the positive drag component present hol ow sp ce I a channel9 leads to e open n in wings devoid of the shown arrangement for air 0 wh s forms an p end of the passage jets. When the negative drag componentthus y duct T Opening 10 is P e ab y created is greater, in absoluteamount, than the 5 located at the intersection of the median surfacepositive drag existing without the air jet, the total, 01 th w with thleadin d e th reof. r or resultant, drag is negative, i. e. a force ofproclose to it, above or below. An air port 15, shown pulsion iscreated, in the figure as a scoop adapted to be swungopen On landing,the valve 15 is gradually closed,

or shut, thus constituting an inlet air valve, for whi1e,./at the sametime, opening the valve 14. 100 admitting air to .the blower 5, isconnected with Air is then sucked in at the trailing edge of the theblower 5 by the passage way or duct 16. A wing and delivered to theblower, the jet at the hollow space 11 at the trailing edge of the wingleading edge operating as before. One effect is 6, provided with asuction port 12, connects with that the lift is increased owing to theabsorption the blower 5 by means of the passage ways 13 of the eddycurrents always present at the trail- 105 and 16.. A valve Moperates toclose or open the ing edge in standard design wings, and another pasageway 13. The valve 15 swings on a pivot eifect is that a force in thedirection of flight, 1'7; the valve 14, on a pivot 18. The two valvesequivalent to a positive drag on the wing, is creare connected by thelinkage 19--2021 and are ated, thereby slowing down the speed of theaerooperated by means of a handle 22. When the plane, while, at the sametime, the loss of liitin 11o power due to the reduced speed of theaeroplane is compensated by the increase in lift due to the firsteffect.

All of the above results have been checked up and fully substantiated ina series of comprehensive tests conducted in a wing tunnel in the cityof New York.

We claim:

1. The combination with an aerofoil, of means for producing an airstream, and an open duct for said air stream terminating substantiallyat the intersection of the median surface of the aerofoil with theleading edge thereof.

2. The combination, with an aerofoil, of means external thereto forproducing an air stream, and an open duct for said air streamterminating substantially at the intersection of the median surface ofthe aerofoil with the leading edge thereof.

3. The combination, with an aerofoil, of means for producing an airstream, and a duct for said air stream having an opening substantiallyat the intersection of the median Surface of the aerofoil with theleading edge thereof for the escape of said air stream in an upwarddirection.

4. The combination, with an aerofoil, of means external thereto forproducing an air stream, and a duct for directing said air stream to theleading edge of said aerofoil, said duct being provided with an openingsubstantially at the intersection of the median surface of the aerofoilwith said leading edge to permit said air to escape upwardly.

5. An aeroplane comprising an air stream generator attached to thefuselage, and an open duct from said generator to the wing of saidaeroplane terminating substantially at the intersection of the mediansurface of said wing with the leading edge thereof.

6. An aeroplane comprising an air stream generator attached to thefuselage, and a duct for directing said air stream to the leading edgeof the wing of said aeroplane, said duct being provided with an openingsubstantially at the intersection of the median surface of'said wingwith said leading edge to permit said air stream to escape in an upwarddirection.

'7. The combination, with an aerofoil, of an air stream generator, asuction port at the trailing edge of said aerofoil, a duct from saidsuction port to said generator, and a passage way from said generator tothe leading edge of said aerofoil, said passage way being provided withan opening for permitting the air to escape along said leading edge inan upward direction.

8. The combination, with an aerofoil, of an air stream generator, asuction port at the trailin edge of said aerofoil, a duct from saidsuction port to said generator, and a passage way from said generator tothe leading edge of said aerofoil, said passage way being provided withports at or near the median line of said leading edge to permit the airto escape in an upward direction.

9. The combination, with an aerofoil, of an air stream generatorexternal thereto, a suction port at the trailing edge of said aerofoil,a duct from said suction port to said generator, and an open passage wayfrom said generator to the leading edge of said aerofoil terminating ator near the median line thereof.

10. An aeroplane comprising an air stream generator attached to thefuselage, a suction port atthe trailing edge of the wing of saidaeroplane, a duct from said suction port to said generator, and apassage way from said generator to the leading edge of said wing, saidpassage way being provided with an opening at or near the median line ofsaid leading edge to permit the air to escape in an upward direction.

11. The combination, with an aerofoil, of an air circulating systemcomprising an air stream generator, a suction port at the trailing edgeof said aerofoil, a duct from said suction port to said generator, apassage way from said generator to the leading edge of said aerofoil, anintake valve for admitting air to said generator, and a valve forclosing or opening said duct according as said intake valve is opened orclosed.

12. The combination, with an aerofoil, of an air circulating systemcomprising an air stream generator, a suction port at the trailing edgeof said aerofoil, a duct from said suction port to said generator, apassage way from said generator to the leading edge of said aerofoil, anintake valve for admitting air to said generator, and a valve forclosing or opening said duct according as said intake valve is opened orclosed, said passage way being provided with ports to permit the air toescape upwardly along said leading edge.

. 13. The combination, with an aerofoil, of means for producing a streamof air, an open duct for said air terminating substantially at theintersection of the median surface of the aerofoil with the leading edgethereof, and means for controlling the velocity of said stream of air.

14. The combination, with an aerofoil, of means external thereto forproducing a stream of air, an open duct for said air terminatingsubstantially at the intersection of the median surface of the aerofoilwith the leading edge thereof, and means for varying the velocity ofsaid stream of air.

15. The combination with an aerofoil, of means for producing a stream ofair, a duct for directing said stream to the leading edge of saidaerofoil, said duct being provided with an opening substantially at theintersection of the median surface of the aerofoil with said leadingedge to permit said air stream to escape upwardly, and means forcontrolling the velocity of the escaping air.

16. The combination, with an aerofoil,. of means external thereto forproducing a stream of air, a duct for directing said stream to theleading edge of said aerofoil, said duct being provided with an openingsubstantially at the intersection of the median surface of the aerofoilwith said leading edge to permit said air stream to escape in an upwarddirection, and means for varying the velocity of the escaping air.

17. The combination, with an aerofoil, of an air circulating systemcomprising an air stream generator, a suction port at the trailing edgeof said aerofoil, a duct from said suction port to said generator, apassage way from said generator to the leading edge of said aerofoil, anintake valve for admitting air to said generator, a valve for closingand opening said duct, means for operating said valves to close onewhile opening the other one, and means for controlling the velocity ofthe air in said circulating system.

18. The combination, with an aerofoil, of an air circulating systemcomprising an air stream generator, a suction port at the trailing edgeof said aerofoil, a duct from said suction port to said generator, apassage way from said generator to the leading edge of saidaerofoil, anintake valve for admitting air to said geenrator, a valve for closingand opening said duct, means for operating said valves to close onewhile opening the other one, ports at the end of said passage way forpermitting the air to escape upwardly along the said leading edge, andmeans for controlling the velocity of the escaping air.

19. An aeroplane comprising an air stream generator, a duct fordirecting said stream from said generator to the leading edge of theaeroplane wing, said duct being provided with an opening substantiallyat the intersection of the median surface of said wing with said leadingedge to permit said air stream to escape in an upward direction, andmeans for varying the ratio of the velocity of the escaping air to thespeed of the aeroplane propeller.

20. An aeroplane comprising an air circulating system including an airstream generator, a suction port at the trailing edge of the aeroplanewing, a duct from said suction port to said generator, a passage wayfrom said generator to the leading edge of said wing, an intake valvefor admitting air to said generator, a valve for closing and openingsaid duct, means for operating said valves to close one while openingthe other one, ports at the end of said passage way at or near themedian line of said leading edge to permit the'air to escape in anupward direction, and means for controlling the velocity of the air insaid circulating system.

SERGE TREY.

WILLIAM HOWARD.

